diff --git a/src/vs/platform/update/common/update.config.contribution.ts b/src/vs/platform/update/common/update.config.contribution.ts
index 9412f48aee6..740e04bde95 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/update/common/update.config.contribution.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/update/common/update.config.contribution.ts
@@ -49,6 +49,19 @@ configurationRegistry.registerConfiguration({
 			description: localize('updateMode', "Configure whether you receive automatic updates. Requires a restart after change to take effect."),
 			deprecationMessage: localize('deprecated', "This setting is deprecated, please use '{0}' instead.", 'update.mode')
 		},
+		'update.positron.channel': {
+			type: 'string',
+			default: 'prereleases',
+			enum: ['dailies', 'prereleases'],
+			enumDescriptions: [
+				localize('dailies', "The latest daily build. This is the most up-to-date version of Positron."),
+				localize('prereleases', "Receive pre-release updates.")
+			],
+			scope: ConfigurationScope.APPLICATION,
+			description: localize('update.positron.channel', "Configure the release stream for receiving updates. Requires a restart after change to take effect."),
+			tags: ['usesOnlineServices'],
+			included: !isWeb
+		},
 		'update.primaryLanguageReporting': {
 			type: 'boolean',
 			default: true,
diff --git a/src/vs/platform/update/electron-main/abstractUpdateService.ts b/src/vs/platform/update/electron-main/abstractUpdateService.ts
index 205a88e7768..d798a7981d0 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/update/electron-main/abstractUpdateService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/update/electron-main/abstractUpdateService.ts
@@ -22,13 +22,6 @@ import { IUpdate } from '../common/update.js';
 import { hasUpdate } from '../electron-main/positronVersion.js';
 import { INativeHostMainService } from '../../native/electron-main/nativeHostMainService.js';
 
-export const enum UpdateChannel {
-	Releases = 'releases',
-	Prereleases = 'prereleases',
-	Dailies = 'dailies',
-	Staging = 'staging',
-}
-
 export function createUpdateURL(platform: string, channel: string, productService: IProductService): string {
 	return `${productService.updateUrl}/${channel}/${platform}`;
 	//--- End Positron ---
@@ -93,7 +86,10 @@ export abstract class AbstractUpdateService implements IUpdateService {
 	*/
 	protected async initialize(): Promise<void> {
 		// --- Start Positron ---
-		const updateChannel = process.env.POSITRON_UPDATE_CHANNEL ?? UpdateChannel.Prereleases;
+		const updateChannel = process.env.POSITRON_UPDATE_CHANNEL ?? this.configurationService.getValue<string>('update.positron.channel');
+		if (process.env.POSITRON_UPDATE_CHANNEL) {
+			this.logService.info('update#ctor - using update channel from environment variable', process.env.POSITRON_UPDATE_CHANNEL);
+		}
 		this.enableAutoUpdate = this.configurationService.getValue<boolean>('update.autoUpdate');
 
 		if (this.environmentMainService.disableUpdates) {
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/relauncher/browser/relauncher.contribution.ts b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/relauncher/browser/relauncher.contribution.ts
index 5568cf4abfd..80ded3d87b3 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/relauncher/browser/relauncher.contribution.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/relauncher/browser/relauncher.contribution.ts
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ import { ChatConfiguration } from '../../chat/common/constants.js';
 
 interface IConfiguration extends IWindowsConfiguration {
 	// --- Start Positron ---
-	update?: { mode?: string; autoUpdate?: boolean };
+	update?: { mode?: string; autoUpdate?: boolean; positron: { channel?: string } };
 	// --- End Positron ---
 	debug?: { console?: { wordWrap?: boolean } };
 	editor?: { accessibilitySupport?: 'on' | 'off' | 'auto' };
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ export class SettingsChangeRelauncher extends Disposable implements IWorkbenchCo
 		'security.restrictUNCAccess',
 		// --- Start Positron ---
 		'update.autoUpdate',
+		'update.positron.channel',
 		// --- End Positron ---
 		'accessibility.verbosity.debug',
 		ChatConfiguration.UnifiedChatView,
@@ -80,6 +81,7 @@ export class SettingsChangeRelauncher extends Disposable implements IWorkbenchCo
 
 	// --- Start Positron ---
 	private readonly autoUpdate = new ChangeObserver('boolean');
+	private readonly updateChannel = new ChangeObserver('string');
 	// --- End Positron ---
 
 	constructor(
@@ -145,6 +147,7 @@ export class SettingsChangeRelauncher extends Disposable implements IWorkbenchCo
 
 			// --- Start Positron ---
 			processChanged(this.autoUpdate.handleChange(config.update?.autoUpdate));
+			processChanged(this.updateChannel.handleChange(config.update?.positron.channel));
 			// --- End Positron ---
 
 			// On linux turning on accessibility support will also pass this flag to the chrome renderer, thus a restart is required